Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-05-31
AT THE STEWART PICTURE SALE.
What o Dear Old Dowager Said-An Art
lists Reputation.

What q Dear Old Dowaser Said-An Art
lists Reputation.
A Mrs Shoddy was discoursing the other
evening upon the sale of the Stewart pictures
in New York.
Il thought of going on" she said, @to buy
some of the paintings, but really have more
pictures than / know what to do with. OF
course there were fine things in the Stewart
sale. but my own paintings, l may say, are
really metricious-at least bought them as
such-and so concluded not to compete with
New York collectors"
The dear old dowager would be astonished
if she knew how true her remark was, little
as she understood the true significance of her
epithet A good story is told of the way in
which she bought some of her "neritr;cious"
pictures. Several years ago she went abroad,
and took with her a specimen Of the paper Of
her drawing room, in order that she might
buy pictures to harmonize-or as she said to
match. An American artist in Paris wrote
home an account Of her visit to the studio of
French artist Of distinction. The lady ar
rived one morning by appointment, armed
with her specimen OF wall paper and stated
that the architect Of her house had told her to
purchase picture OF a given size for GER
tain space in her drawing room. The artist
had no picture of these dimensions, but he
was clever enough to understand the sort of
woman he was dealing with and INSCRIPTIONS
enough to take advantage of her.
This canvas he said, showing her paint
ing he wished TO sell, isn't the same measure
you want, because we have the metric sys-
tenn in France, and of course that is different;
but il is the measure translated into our sys-
tenn; it is the nearest thing you can get in
this country
The picture was half as large again as she
had asked for, but she received this explana-
ton in perfect good faith and proceeded TO
investigate the harmony of paper and picture.
The obllgins painter arranged the wall paper
behind the canvas. walked away from the
easel and elaSped his hands in admiration:
"Ah, madame he said, with dramatic
sigh, "you americans are such nation! /
have searched Paris for proper background
for this picture and have not been able to find
it; AID here you bring ME precisely the paper
OF which I have dreamed. II | had that
paper would not sell you the picture at all,
but now you must have it il give it to your
And he did give it to her-in exchange for
$1,000
At another studio she was less successful.
She had been told whose pictures she ought
to buy. and applied boldly to the leading
painters OF Paris. The second artist whom
sac saw, however, treated her with what she
feelinsly describes outrageous brutality.
Whsn she produced her specimens of wall
paper the old man bru.quely interrupted hsr
setting forth Of her wishes.
1T is no Use. madame he said with great
affectation Of regret and earnessness. Il
never sell picture on 50 slight grounds SIS
mere harmony with the paper hanging. So
much depends upon tie ligh, that I never
risk M reputation without examining the
room IN which the painting is TO hang. Did
you bring your house with youi Il you
didn't, fea Is impossible for rs TO come
to sn arrangement T-Arlo Bates n Preyi
dence Journal
Apropos O. rats. Liverpool paper relates
an incident il connection with q wreck OF the
Cornish coast. The captain WIS the lsst 70
lsave the ship, and as hs dropped into tie
lie boat rat ran along the rurc ard aid
hold Of the captains collar, and TIE captain
turned round. and, nothing VIII what ten
aoity the nat had On. sad: Poor d, Ike
myself yot are making an effort Tor dear life:
come along ard both were safely la.sIsG-
Cn!caso Times